Adjustable construction joint strips



My 7, 1970 G. REDEY 3,518,801

ADJUSTABLE CONSTRUCTION JOINT STRIPS Filed Sept. 30, 1968 3 Shae LS-Si1cst l JMWE 43 1* 12 1 EEMENT LEVEL INVENTOR CMENT LEI 5L GEO/ye Reaeg ATTORNEYS G. REDEY July 7, 1970 ADJUSTABLE CONSTRUCTION JOINT STRIPS 3 Sheets-Sheet.

Filed Sept. 30, 1968 Ill-ll as? ED111337 17% G. REDEY 3,518,801

ADJUSTABLE :CNSTRLCT::N ::N"Q :TPIPS Filed Sept. 30, 1968 /5 a WWW) INVENTOR day United States Patent US. Cl. 52-425 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An elongated strip of flexible plastic material for use in forming blocks for building units. The strip has an elongated body with a smooth surface and with projections on the other surfaces thereof. The body is flexible and may be cut into blocks, the blocks being adapted to be juxtaposed with the projections intermeshing. Concrete may be poured into the interstices between the intermeshing projections. In a modified form of strip, the body has projections on opposed surfaces thereof, the projections on one surface having blunt ends for the purpose of absorbing or reflecting sound waves. With desired aim, the strip can be laid on the ground surface or on a ship deck to provide a high resistance landing surface for aircraft.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 581,234 filed Sept. 22, 1966, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,403,484.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an elongated flexible strip of plastic and the like with projecting teeth on one surface thereof whereby lengths may be cut therefrom and disposed in opposed juxtaposed position to form a building unit adapted to receive a filler of cement, plastic or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide an elongated fiexible strip of plastic and the like with projecting teeth on one surface thereof whereby lengths thereof may be cut therefrom to provide bodies of toys.

Another object of the invention is to provide an elongated flexible strip of plastic and the like with projecting teeth on one surface thereof whereby lengths thereof may be cut therefrom to provide covers for books.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanyin drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a bottom perpective view of a strip of material embodying the invention, parts being shown broken away.

FIG. 2 is a top plan perspective view of a length cut from the strip of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a fragment of a wall structure formed with blocks formed from the strip of FIG. 1, cement being shown poured between the blocks.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a number of blocks cut from the strip of FIG. 1 and a measuring tool.

FIG. 6 is an edge view of a wall partly formed from blocks cut from the strip of FIG. 1 showing a tool for measuring the thickness of the wall in operative position.

FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of a pair of stacks of modified form of blocks.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the corner of a wall structure formed with blocks as shown in FIG. 7.

3,518,881 Patented July 7, 1970 FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a strip of material such as shown in FIG. 1 in curved formation.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a fragment of a room with a wall structure formed with the curved strips of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is an edge view of a fragment of a building unit formed with lengths of strip embodying a modified form of the invention.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a fragment of wall structure embodying another modified form of the invention.

FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of a strip of material embodying still another modified form of the invention shown in rolled formation.

FIG. 14 is a top perspective view of a kit including toy building blocks made from a strip of material embodying a further modified form of the invention, the cover of the kit being shown removed and toy blocks being shown scattered on a supporting surface.

FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic edge view of a fragment of landing surface of an airfield formed from lengths of a strip of material embodying yet another modified form of the invention.

FIG. 16 is a side elevational view of a fragment of a vertical wall embodying a still further modified form of the invention.

FIG. 17 is a view similar to FIG. 16 of a wall embodying yet another modified form of the invention.

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of a form for a circular column made with blocks formed from the strip of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawing:

In FIG. 1 an elongated rectangular strip of material embodying the invention is shown and designated generally as 10. The strip 10 is formed of plastic, aluminum, metal or other suitable material. The strip has a plain flat smooth top surface 12. The bottom surface 14 of the strip is formed with a plurality of pointed projections in the form of teeth 16 closely spaced over the whole area of the surface. The long edges 18 and end edges 20 of the strip are straight.

The strip 10 is adapted to be cut with a cutting knife 22 for the purpose of forming lengths or blocks. A block 24 cut from the strip 10 is shown in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 3, a wall structure 26 formed from blocks or wall sheets 24 cut from the strip 10 is shown. In building the wall structure 26, the blocks 24 are positioned back to back in opposed relation as shown in FIG. 4, with the teeth 16 of the blocks being intermeshed with each other. A pair of blocks in opposed intermeshing relation constitute a building unit. The building units are mounted edgewise on top of each other with the joints 28 in one tier offset from joints 28 in the other tier as shown in FIG. 3. The units may be of various lengths so that the joints 30 at the corners are in alignment as shown in FIG. 3. When a tier of units is placed end to end, loose cement 32 is poured downwardly through the top of the unit into and between the intermeshing teeth 16 and the cement permitted to harden. Other cementitious material such as plastic, foam grout and the like, may be used in place of cement.

The lengths or blocks 24 when in meshing relation are readily moved toward or away from each other in order to adjust the thickness of the wall structure. The desired thickness may readily be obtained by means of a measuring instrument 34 shown in FIG. 5 and in operative meshing position in FIG. 6. The instrument comprises an elongated handle 36 with transverse plate body 38 integral with one end of the handle. An integral leg 40 extends from one side of the body. Another leg 42, separate from the body, has a lateral extension 44 formed with an elongated closed slot 46. A pair of bolts 48 is fixed in the transverse plate body 38 and projects through the slot 46. Leg 42 may be moved toward or away from the leg 40 and secured in adjusted position by wing nuts 50 on the bolts 48. In use, the measuring instrument is oriented to the desired thickness of wall structure desired and placed over the top of the topmost unit whereupon the lengths or blocks 24 are moved away from each other until they engage the legs of the instrument for the desired thickness.

The invention contemplates that colored lengths or blocks may be used in building a wall structure as shown in FIG. 8. The top tier and bottom tier of building units are shown composed of lengths 26 colored green and the intermediate tier is shown composed of lengths 26" colored red. Any desired color lengths may be used. In FIG. 7, a stack of lengths 26' colored green is shown and a stack of lengths 26" colored red is shown.

In FIG. 9, a straight strip 10 of material is shown in dash lines and shown in curved bent formation in full lines. The curved strips or lengths thereof may be used to build a wall structure such as the wall structure 26ai shown in FIG. 10 having curved corners 54.

FIG. 11 illustrates another modified form of building unit including a pair of opposed lengths or blocks 24a, the teeth 16a of which lengths or blocks are of irregular crooked shape meshing with each other. When cement is poured into and through the teeth 16a a firmer joint between the lengths if formed.

In the modified form of wall structure 26x shown in FIG. 12, a frame 55 of criss-crossed wires 56 and 58 is interposed between the building units with the teeth 16x of the blocks 24x extending through the spaces between the wires. The frame reinforces the wall structure joints.

In FIG. 13, another modified form of strip laa of material is shown. This form differs from the strip of FIG. 1 in that the body 12aa of the strip is formed with criss-cross perforated or tear lines 60 and 62 making the strip more flexible and permitting the strip to be rolled into roll formation. The material of the strip can be readily torn along the lines 60 and 62 to form lengths or blocks 26aa.

The invention also contemplates use of the lengths or blocks 24xx of the strip material in making bodies of toy building bricks and the like and marketing such toy building bricks in kits. A kit for this purpose is illustrated in FIG. 14 and designated generally as 70. The kit includes a box-like shallow body 72 open at the top and adapted to be closed by a lid or cover 74 of similar shape to the box-like body. The cover may bear identifying indicia 76. The contents of the kit includes a plurality of stacked lengths or blocks 24xx, several containers 78 of cement mix, and a chart 80 entitled Plan a Ranch House. With the material of the kit, Various educational toy devices may be readily made, for example, the gable roof 82 of a. ranch house, a cross 84, L-shaped member 86, a ring member 88, and elongated angular member 90, rectangular shaped member 92 and the like.

In FIG. 15, a portion of a landing surface A of an airfield is shown formed of lengths of strips of yet another modified form of the invention. This landing surface is formed of a top length or block 24aaa and a bottom lenght or block 24aaa. This block 24aaa may be applied to the deck of a ship for landing. The blocks 24aaa have teeth 16aaa extending from both sides thereof, the teeth on the opposed surfaces adapted to mesh with each other.

An airplane Wheel 94 with rubber tire 95 is shown in running position pressing down the teeth 16aaa upstanding 4 and designed with desired elasticity from the top surface of the top block 24aaa.

FIG. 16 illustrates still another modified form of vertical wall 26a formed of a pair of opposed lengths or blocks 24a and 24a. Block 24a is formed with elongated pointed teeth 16a, extending from one side thereof, meshing with similar teeth 16a" on the opposed side of block 24a". Block 24a", however, is formed with bluntpointed teeth 16a' on its opposite side. Cement is adapted to be poured between the meshing teeth. The bluntpointed teeth 16a" are provided for improving the acoustical properties of the wall, the teeth 16a' being adapted to absorb or reflect sound waves, according to the designed shape of projections in accordance with the acoustic applied science principles.

In FIG. 17 yet another modified form of vertical wall 26ax is shown comprising a pair of opposed lengths or blocks Max and 24axx. The block 24a.x has pointed teeth 16ax meshing with blunt-pointed teeth 16axx on block 24axx.

FIG. 18 illustrates a form 96 for making upright circular columns or forms for concrete work. The form comprises an outer strip 10a" such as the strip 10 in FIG. 9 bent into circular formation with the ends thereof suitably fixed together or along encircling a similar strip 10ml" similarly bent and joined so that the teeth 16a" of both strips are in mesh leaving space to receive concrete.

What is claimed is:

1. A building wall structure comprising an assemblage of inner and outer wall sheets, each wall sheet being of tough material and a front surface at one side thereof, and an inner side surface having a plurality of pointed teeth projections closely spaced from one another over the whole area thereof, pairs of said wall sheets positioned in back to back opposed relation with the teeth of one sheet substantially intermeshed with the teeth of another sheet, the opposed sheets of each pair being of substantial equal dimensions and aligned substantially directly with each other, said pairs of wall sheets being mounted edgewise on top of each other in tiers offset from joints in the other tiers, said teeth and wall sheets of the Wall structure joined by hardened material having been in soft fashion into the tiers of the opposed wall sheets and about the teeth.

2. A building wall structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the projections are crooked and irregular in shape.

3. A building wall structure as defined in claim 1, and a frame of criss-crossed wires interposed between the opposed wall sheets for reinforcing the structure.

4. A building Wall structure as defined in claim 1, and the wall sheets at the one side of the structure having projections with blunt end edges adapted to absorb or reflect sound waves as desired.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,914,833 12/1959 Hart et al. 249-48 3,350,092 10/1967 Maki 94-3 3,403,484 10/1968 Redey 52425 FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner J. L. RIDGILL, JR., Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

